


Regrets

by AmphitriteWoods_15



Series: Interstellar [1]
Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, 어느날 공주가 되어버렸다 | Who Made Me A Princess (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M, I just wrote what was on my mind, I know this doesn't make sense, and Claude tries to fix their relationship, and Ijekiel wants Athanasia to love him, and basically just doesn't care, because she only loves her smol bean, but Athanasia did it unconsciously, but Athanasia is cold af, but where Claude is cured, implied dimension travelling, it doesn't make sense to me too, set in "The Lovely Princess" storyline, where Felix tries to understand Athanasia's apathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:07:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24715801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmphitriteWoods_15/pseuds/AmphitriteWoods_15
Summary: Set in "The Lovely Princess" verse where Claude is cured by his black magic. With a new point of view, he sees the things he should've seen before.Where Claude tries to repair his relationship with his only child and consequently grieves over his loss of her, Felix just wants Athanasia to give Claude a chance, and Ijekiel just wants Athanasia to see him as himself.
Relationships: Athanasia/Judal, one-sided Ijekiel/Athanasia
Series: Interstellar [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1786954
Comments: 8
Kudos: 108





	Regrets

**REGRETS**

* * *

* * *

Silence can be deafening.

Ijekiel agrees.

Marriages can be superbly depressing.

Ijekiel once again agrees.

You can stay in an arranged marriage for years and it would still be a one-sided love.

Ijekiel glanced at the painting hanging in his office where a couple dressed in the glamorous white garbs suitable for a wedding of a royalty stares back at him with small smiles.

But Ijekiel does not feel any joy in his heart when he sees that painting and instead winces and laughs, blinking away the tears in the corner of his eyes.

_'Truly, truly. There's nothing more painful than love itself.'_

* * *

It was after Jennette was poisoned when they found out that Jennette was not Claude's child.

She needed blood after losing a lot of it after she was poisoned, and a blood donor was needed. Blood replenishing elixirs could've easily solved the problem, but Jennette was a royal. Royals' blood were different to that of the common masses.

And so, they needed the blood of a direct relative. Since Athanasia was only her half-sister, she was not an ideal donor.

But Claude was her father, or what they once thought of truly, so Claude gave his blood.

It was then that Rosaria Alpheus's actions began being suspicious. She refused Jennette's treatment, claiming that Claude's blood was too precious. But they were appalled. Why would Rosaria, who loved her niece so much not just grit her teeth and accept it?

Of course, Claude, being too worried sick for Jennette, refused to listen to Rosaria, and did not grant her or any of the Alpheus's any entry to the palace until Jennette recovered.

For the next few days, Ijekiel and his father watched in confusion as Rosaria looked like she was about to be eaten by insanity, guilt flooding her whole expression. They wanted to know what the reason was, but Rosaria kept her mouth shut, so they could do nothing else but sit back and wait for Jennette's recovery with anxiousness.

She did not.

With Claude's blood, Jennette became even worse. Royal knights personally came to their mansion and dragged the three of them directly to the audience hall of the palace. And there, they became the object of scrutiny. Claude asked them, Rosaria, specifically, if she wanted to tell him anything.

_"Ahh, that's right, Rosaria. Do you have something to tell me?" asked Claude, staring down at them from his throne. It was normal for Claude to talk to them with his ice cold voice when Jennette was out of sight, but the voice he used that day was exceptionally cold, too cold. His glowing jewel blue eyes were a sign of the chaos that would later ensue, and this is the first time Ijekiel sees his mother and father tremble so much._

_"...N-no... You-Your M-Majesty... no," muttered Rosaria, face down._

_"Don't know or don't remember?" asked Claude, his lips twisting into a sneer. "Did you know that the last time someone gave me that answer, I had to ask some men from Barbados to pry the answer out of a woman?"_

_Rosaria sucked in a gasp, and Ijekiel and Roger both widened their eyes. Men from Barbados were loyal to Claude, but their insatiable lust was..._

_If his mother could not answer Claude, she would be given away to them as a gift - a prostitute - and those men would not care of the money their family has, only torment his mother to death._

_There was no doubt to that._

_"Shall I give you another question? Why is Jennette's blood not compatible to mine?" at this, shocked gasps and whispers arose in the hall. Ijekiel and his father only watched in shock at the news as Rosaria trembled even greatly._

_There was only one answer to that question. If Jennette's blood isn't compatible with Claude's in any way, then it only means that Jennette is not Claude's child._

_"Oh yes, now that I have been enlightened, I also seem to remember that that whore of a sister you have, Penelope, had been sleeping around with Anastasius even before he became Emperor. If it wasn't because of Jennette's eyes, I would have thought she is a daughter of a random noble," at this, Claude's eyes gave a light glaze. "Her bed had always been ' **come as you please'** site if I remembered correctly."_

_Sensing a sharp gaze, Ijekiel snaps his gaze to the side. Flowing platinum gold locks and jewel blue eyes greets him, but he can't bring himself to do anything for the person's once soft expression was taut and expressionless, the once clasped hands were now crossed, and her person which was once wrapped in a light colored dress is now garbed in a white cloak and a white suit._

_Wordlessly, Athanasia briefly looks at his mother before turning her heels and disappearing._

* * *

The palace was very gloomy.

To that, Jennette can agree.

She knows things inside the palace. And even if she was not a princess now - after Claude stripped her off of her title - she still knows.

She knows Claude is trying to patch things up with Athanasia. But of course, twenty two years was a lot of damage and if she looked at it herself, it was irreparable.

Athanasia is somewhat cruel, Jennette thinks. She is cruel to all. To her, to Claude, to Ijekiel, to everyone around her.

She somewhat feels sorry for both Ijekiel and Claude. For the time that they have learned to love Athanasia, it was far too late. For Claude, Athanasia wanted none of his affection, and looked like she could care less if he died in front of her. Ijekiel was the same, but every single day, Ijekiel has to experience his own share of heartache, for Athanasia loves another. At least for Claude he didn't have to see this heartache every day.

But for Ijekiel, he had to endure, for he was the one who wished for their marriage.

Jennette knows things. Like the fact that the reason the House Alpheus has no heir is not because of either Ijekiel or Athanasia's infertility. It was because they have not consummated their marriage.

Athanasia does not wish to, and she could care less about anyone's judgment. Ijekiel has no choice but to comply, and continue hurting himself when he sees his wife yearning for someone who is not even there.

* * *

A monster.

That is what Felix Robane sees when Athanasia is in the battlefield. She is their ace, he agrees. But sometimes, Felix wishes that she be as good a daughter as she is of a fighter when he sees Claude's longing gaze.

But it was not her fault. Never hers. They should have known, should have been more sympathetic. Felix understands. He really does. He knows the feeling of being neglected by your own parent, but he doesn't know of the feeling of still hoping to be loved by his parent even when he sees them caring for another.

Felix just wants to know Athanasia further. But she is far too broken, and it is far too late to do anything.

Sometimes, some things are just meant to be.

* * *

Athanasia de Alger Obelia is pregnant.

The news was enough for people outside the palace and the Alpheus mansion to be sent to euphoric joy.

For it was a child! A child! Finally, they have proof that their princess is not infertile. Everyone jovially shouted the news to everyone and everyone sang blessings and gifts and praises to the unborn child.

But no one in the Alpheus mansion is happy.

No one in the palace is, too.

For how can there be a child in her womb if she did not consummate her marriage with Ijekiel? Claude and even everyone doubts that Athanasia has had a man in her bed.

Ijekiel loved his wife dearly even if she did not love him back. That was why he stationed so much guards beside her. She did not complain and let it be. If she had someone else, word would have gotten to Ijekiel.

Except he did not.

It was just one fine morning and Athanasia felt ill so he called an Imperial Doctor. Who knew that the doctor would be all smiles and congratulate him that he was to be a father soon?

The worst part is not the unproven betrayal. It was of how little she cared of his feelings. She said nothing and smiled, a real smile for the first time in three years of their marriage as she caressed her womb lovingly. Her smile held secrets. Secrets he can't force her to divulge lest he wants to bear the brunt of her rage.

He loved her far too much to let go.

* * *

Claude, on the other hand, went to the Alpheus mansion and asked to be brought to Athanasia's chambers where he arrives to see her caressing her womb with a fond smile in her face, humming unfamiliar lullabies to an unknown language.

"He will certainly be like his father," Athanasia mutters, her eyes glazing over as if she was reminiscing. "For the birds loves him so much, just like the birds did to him," she sighs. And there she went again with the terms he cannot understand. Claude vaguely remembers that this was a rare moment when she would utter more than two sentences to him.

"Him?" he swallows the lump in his throat.

"I can feel it."

* * *

For the whole of her pregnancy, Athanasia was moved to the Garnett Palace, so Claude could make sure that her pregnancy was going all right, and not like the one Diana had.

Nine months later, a beautiful baby with hair as black as obsidian and eyes as beautiful as rubies was born.

If it was not for Athanasia choosing an unusual name for her child, Ijekiel and Claude would have already went to the Black Tower Magician to grab that same magician who had the child's hair and eyes and pound him viciously. But the magician was also there, and even he denied ever being in contact with the Princess. Claude knows Lucas does not lie. His eyes said it all. The child really was not his.

Athanasia spent nine hours delivering him and when she did, she is almost close to fainting but she asks for the child to be in her arms.

Once Athanasia gets a clear view of the child, tears spring out from her eyes almost immediately as she kissed his forehead, holding him close to her bosom.

"Judal. His name is Judal," she whispers weakly before succumbing to sleep.

_**~~~fin~~~** _

**Author's Note:**

> Too angsty?


End file.
